Why do some QR generators add a watermark?
A watermark is a growth tactic. Every time your code is printed on a menu, a flyer or a shop window, the generator's logo travels with it as free advertising — and it nudges you toward a paid plan to remove it. That is a reasonable business model, but it makes the output unusable for anything that has to look professional.
There is a subtler version worth knowing about: some tools do not watermark the image, but do brand the destination — the scan lands on their interstitial page first, showing their logo, before continuing to your link. Your printed code looks clean, yet every customer still sees somebody else's brand.
What you actually get here
- No watermark and no logo overlay on any download, on any plan, including free.
- No forced interstitial on static codes — a scan goes straight to your destination.
- PNG, SVG and JPG export. SVG is vector, so it stays sharp at any print size.
- Commercial use permitted. The code you generate is yours; there is no licence fee and no attribution requirement.
- No account required to generate or download a static code.
If you want your own logo in the middle of the code, that is supported too — the difference is that it is your choice, not ours.
How to check a QR code for hidden branding before you print
- Zoom in on the image. Look at all four corners and the area just under the code — watermarks are usually placed in the quiet zone below.
- Open the file at full size. A faint grey mark can be invisible at thumbnail size and obvious at A3.
- Scan it and watch the address bar. If a domain you do not recognise flashes up before your page loads, the destination is branded even though the image is clean.
- Print one test copy at final size before committing to a run.
Print quality matters more than the watermark
Once you have a clean file, the thing most likely to ruin a printed code is contrast and size, not branding. Keep the dark modules genuinely dark, keep the quiet zone (the empty margin) clear, and do not shrink below roughly 2 cm for a short URL at arm's length. Use the SVG export for anything larger than a business card.
Frequently asked questions
Is this QR code generator really free with no watermark?
Yes. No watermark or logo is added to any download, including on the free tier, and no account is needed for static codes.
Can I use these QR codes commercially?
Yes. The generated code is yours to use for any purpose, including commercial work, with no licence fee or attribution.
Which format should I download for printing?
SVG. It is vector, so it stays perfectly sharp at any size. PNG is fine for screens and small print.
Do you add your own branding to the scan destination?
Not on static codes — they go straight to your URL. Free dynamic codes pass through our redirect, which is how the destination stays editable.
Can I put my own logo in the middle of the code?
Yes, logo upload is supported, and error correction is set high enough that the code still scans.